How to Build Arm Muscle: 10 Workouts You Have to Try

What’s this summer’s hottest accessory for both men and women?

Arms. We use our arms every day to hug, hold, grab, reach, swing, and dance. What better time to show off your arms than the summertime? 

Do you want to know how to build arm muscle quickly and effectively?

Look no further than these ten key arm exercises perfect for the gym or home workouts. 

1. Push-Ups

Drop and give me 20. Push-ups are incredibly effective for transforming your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles. Plus, you can easily switch it up with push-up variations! 

To perform a standard push-up, start in a high plank position with your arms outstretched and your weight resting on your hands and toes. Try to keep your core tight and straight as a board. No saggy butts or hips in the air!

Lower your body down until your arms are almost at a ninety-degree angle, then push yourself back up. Repeat. 

2. Tricep Dips

When I dip, you dip, we dip. Tricep dips are easy to perform anywhere. All you will need is a steady surface like a bench, table, or block. 

With your steady surface behind you, place your hands on the corner edge. Lean back so that you are holding your weight on your arms, then bend your elbows to lower your body. Push yourself back up to straight arms and repeat. 

To make this exercise more challenging, lean against a surface that is lower to the ground.

3. Plank with Arm Lift

This exercise works both your arm muscles and your core. Start in a push-up or high plank position on your mat. Keep your body straight and stiff. 

Next, raise one arm up off the mat, balancing on your other arm and your toes. Reach forward, then bring the arm back down and switch to the other side. Alternate arms to your heart’s content. 

4. Inchworms

Inchworms are a full-body workout, but they’re especially good for your arm muscles and shoulders. Start by standing tall at the back end of your mat. 

Bend over at the waist until your hands touch the floor. Walk your hands out away from your feet until you’ve moved into a high plank position on your mat. Then, walk your hands back up to standing and repeat. 

5. Bicep Curls

Bicep curls and the other following arm exercises work best with weights. If you don’t have access to dumbbells, get creative with water jugs, soup cans, or textbooks. Where there’s a will, there’s a weight!

When you think of arm workouts, you probably picture bicep curls. This move is popular for a reason. 

Grab a weight in each hand and stand with your feet slightly apart. Bend your arms at the elbow to lift the weight up to your shoulder, then slowly lower it down. You can lift both weights at the same time, alternate arms, or focus on one arm at a time. 

6. Overhead Tricep Extensions

For this exercise, you’ll only need one weight. A kettlebell, dumbbell, or water jug will work. 

With both hands on the weight, bring your arms up over your head. Bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head, then straighten your arms to pull it back up. Rinse and repeat. 

7. Hammer Curl

The hammer curl is a simple variation of the bicep curl. It targets your biceps brachii, a highly visible muscle in your upper arm. Hammer curls are best performed with dumbbells, but you can use a cable weight or resistance band instead. 

To perform a hammer curl, stand straight with your feet slightly apart. With a dumbbell in each hand, turn your palms facing in towards each other, so the weights are pointed up and down. Bend at the elbow to lift the weight straight up. 

8. Lateral Raise

Even for the strongest of people, lateral raises are a real challenge. This exercise will give you rippling shoulder muscles. 

Grab a weight in each hand; don’t be afraid to go lightweight. Standing with your feet slightly apart, raise your arms straight out to your sides. Hold your arms parallel to the floor for a few seconds, then lower and repeat. 

9. Overhead Press

Standing with your feet about hips’ distance apart, curl your arms so that the dumbbell weights sit just over your shoulders. Straighten your arms and push the weights up over your head. Hold for a second, then lower and repeat.

When performing overhead presses, try to bunch your shoulders up to your ears. Keep your chest forward, chin up, and shoulders strong. 

10. Pull-Ups or Pull-Downs

Like push-ups, pull-ups are another classic arm workout. To do a pull-up, you’ll need to have a high bar to hold on to. 

Wrap your hands around the bar with an overhand grip. Place your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Using your arm and back muscles, pull yourself up until your face looks over the bar, then lower and repeat.

Alternatively, you can use a pull-down cable machine. This is a great option for those who can’t do a full pull-up yet. Practice with different handhold variations to work different muscles in your arms. 

How to Build Arm Muscle

Building big, strong, and toned arm muscle requires more than weightlifting and exercise. While trying to build muscle, don’t neglect other aspects of your health. 

Stretch before and after your arm workouts to prevent injury and encourage your muscle fibers to lengthen and grow. Regular cardiovascular training is also important for building stamina and increasing blood flow to your arm muscles. 

To get bigger arms, you will also need to be consuming sufficient calories. Make sure you are meeting your daily caloric needs, and if you can, eat in a surplus. Prioritize protein and vitamins in your diet.

Lastly, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If weight loss is your overall goal, don’t feel discouraged if the number on the scale goes up or stays the same. Body recomposition takes time!

Reach Your Goals

With these ten awesome arm workouts added to your exercise routine, you’ll be rocking loaded guns in no time. Before long, you’ll have other people asking you how to build arm muscle!

Are you ready to take your strength to the next level? Fitness CF is ready to help you reach your fitness goals. Sign up today to experience the best group fitness, personal training, and open gym in central Florida!